University of Colorado Athletics
CU Tennis Standout Andrinopoulos Adjusts Quickly
September 22, 2015 | Tennis, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Annabelle Andrinopoulos has had plenty of things to get used to since arriving in Boulder from her native Australia.
The CU freshman tennis player has found the people to be “really friendly,” the food portions to be “massive” and the weather and scenery on the CU campus to be “terrific.”
But the one thing that's made the biggest impression?
Ralphie.
More specifically, the sight of CU's buffalo mascot running at Andrinopoulos' first Colorado football game, the recent 48-14 Buffs win over UMass.
Andrinopoulos, of course, isn't alone. Plenty of folks have found Ralphie's Folsom Field runs before games and after halftime to be rather awe inspiring.
But for someone who comes from a country where the universities don't have major sports teams and thus no team mascots, the sight of a 1,200-pound buffalo romping downfield is one she won't forget for a long, long time.
“That was the best — just so cool,” Andrinopoulos said. “Having a real buffalo just running on the field and the guys running with her. That has to be the best mascot ever.”
Andrinopoulos is one of two freshmen from Australia on the Buffs' roster this season, joining Brigitte Beck, also from Melbourne. The two attended their first CU football game together, and marveled at the excitement over the game.
“It's surprising how much the students around the campus get into the Buff spirit,” Andrinopoulos said. “Everyone is all about supporting the college. Before the game, it was amazing. Everyone cheering and getting excited. In the morning, you see everyone walking around campus in their Buff gear … it's a great experience.”
Having a pair of Aussies on the roster shouldn't be a surprise to folks who follow CU tennis. Head coach Nicole Kenneally, after all, is also Australian, and when she had a chance to recruit the two, she jumped at the chance.
“I was home and went to the December Showdown in Melbourne last year,” Kenneally said. “While there, I had the opportunity to speak with Annabelle as well as see her practice. Obviously, Belle has a great tennis resume´, so when the opportunity arose to have her commit in the spring, it was an easy decision.”
The decision was also a relatively easy one for Andrinopoulos. While she was also recruited by Rice, Washington and Pepperdine, the chance to be coached by someone from her home country meant a built-in comfort level when it came to adapting to new surroundings.
“Because coach is Australian, I definitely felt like we would have a good connection,” Andrinopoulos said. “I felt like culturally she would would understand where I'm coming from and be able to help me out. It was definitely a big factor in coming to CU.”
Kenneally said she talked to Andrinopoulos during the recruiting process about what to expect at CU.
“We talked about the expectations that Belle can have of CU and myself, as well as the expectations we have for our student athletes,” Kenneally said. “Due to my experience and growing up with a lot of coaches who worked with them, there was a high level of comfort.”
Andrinopoulos will get her first taste of collegiate competition this week, when CU hosts the Colorado Invitational from Thursday through Sunday at the South Campus courts.
But it will by no means be her first taste of major competition. A one-time scholarship holder at Tennis Australia National Academy, she's been playing in tournaments in her home country for years. Ranked No. 1 in her junior age group, she was the 2015 Kooyong Club champion and a 2015 Platinum AMT finalist, along with a number of other top-three finishes in tournaments over the last few years.
Upon graduation from high school in December 2014, Andrinopoulos spent a semester attending the University of Melbourne while continuing to play in tournaments. But she began to consider the possibility of playing collegiately in the U.S., and when she seriously began studying her options, CU kept rising to the top of her list.
“It was just a great balance of everything I wanted,” said Andrinopoulos, who plans to major in business at CU. “Academically and tennis, it was everything I was looking for. And, Boulder is such a picturesque town in a good location. I'd heard good things about it before coming here, and they're all true.”
As for tennis, Andrinopoulos describes herself as an “aggressive baseliner.”
“My serve is one of my bigger weapons, and my forehand,” she said. “I like to dominate from the baseline.”
Kenneally called her a “great striker” of the ball who “oftentimes hits it effortlessly.”
“Belle is going to have a solid career at CU,” Kenneally said. “I look forward to seeing her compete next weekend for the first time.”
Andrinopoulos said she's not sure what to expect from collegiate competition, but she knows the Pac-12 is among the nation's best conferences.
And, she said, one thing CU fans can be guaranteed they won't see — or hear — is any grunting when she plays. A fan of Maria Sharapova, Andrinopoulos said she always admired the Russian's game, but not her grunting.
“It's just not necessary,” she said with a laugh. “You won't hear me doing that.”
